Ceres president Mindy Lubber statement on President-elect Trump's nominee for EPA Administratorhttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/ceres-president-mindy-lubber-statement-on-president-elect-trumps-nominee-for-epa-administrator
President-elect Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who fails to recognize the climate change threat, belittles the EPA and our most fundamental right to clean air and water, is not fit for the job. We need an EPA Administrator who respects the agency as well as the science underlying the EPA’s mission to protect public health. The new administrator must also recognize that a healthy environment is essential to a robust and growing economy.“Originally established by President Richard Nixon in 1970, the EPA has a long and distinguished track record of reducing pollution, saving lives and providing industry the clarity it needs to thrive and innovate for the benefit of the country and the economy. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA — in both Democratic and Republican administrations — has guided industry to make massive reductions in air pollution and has begun to tackle climate change. Similar progress and vital protections have been achieved under the Clean Water Act and other essential environmental laws.

President-elect Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who fails to recognize the climate change threat, belittles the EPA and our most fundamental right to clean air and water, is not fit for the job. We need an EPA Administrator who respects the agency as well as the science underlying the EPA’s mission to protect public health. The new administrator must also recognize that a healthy environment is essential to a robust and growing economy.”

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-12-08T16:45:43ZPress ReleaseMajor Investors Applaud Move to Stay the Course on GHG Ruleshttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/major-investors-applaud-move-to-stay-the-course-on-ghg-rules
In response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that it would stay the course on 2012 greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for automobiles and light duty trucks, major investors released statements supporting the decision.In response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that it would stay the course on 2012 greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for automobiles and light duty trucks, major investors released statements supporting the decision:

Ken Locklin, director of Impax Asset Management and Stu Dalheim, vice president of Calvert Investments are members of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a project of Ceres that represents more than $14 trillion in assets.

Ken Locklin, Impax Asset Management: “These forward-looking GHG rules are creating new markets and driving innovation. Sticking to the path already set by the EPA and NHTSA is critical for maintaining growth across the automotive sector. By reducing risk for the Detroit Three and benefiting all their numerous suppliers, these standards are reenergizing a great American industry, and keeping it globally competitive.”

Stu Dalheim, Calvert Investments: “Because consumer spending is the largest component of economic growth, savings at the pump translates into broad-based gains and job growth. The choice to stay the course toward more efficient cars and trucks will continue to strengthen our economy, save consumers money and create jobs – no matter what happens with gas prices.”

Carol Lee Rawn, Director of Ceres’ Transportation Program: The decision to stay the course on GHG emissions standards will lock in growth for a vital manufacturing sector. The industry has been making significant investments in fuel savings technology for years thanks to these standards. Our research shows that suppliers—which employ 2½ times as many people as automakers, and who are making the bulk of investments in fuel-saving technology—stand to gain about $90 billion in increased orders through the life of the current rules.”

BACKGROUND A Ceres analyst brief examining how automakers and suppliers would benefit under different gas price and emission stringency scenarios found that:

Under current standards:

The Detroit Three will be profitable given a wide range of fuel prices, even if gas prices fall as low as $1.80 a gallon.

Suppliers, which provide two and a half times more American jobs than the top domestic automakers, stand to gain about $90 billion in increased orders.

If standards are weakened and gas prices spike:

Suppliers could lose up to $1.42 billion a year in sales of fuel-efficient technologies.

The Detroit Three could lose over 300,000 vehicle sales and $1.08 billion in profits.

Citing the analyst brief, in September, Ceres’ Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy coalition, which represents businesses with more than $400 billion in annual revenue, submitted a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation supporting the standards.

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-30T20:10:00ZPress ReleaseSqueezing Water from Wine: Constellation Brands Takes on the Droughthttp://www.ceres.org/connect-the-drops/news/water-from-wine
In the face of California’s ongoing drought, Clos du Bois - owned by Constellation Brands, a Connect the Drops signatory - has taken strong steps over the last few years to reduce the amount of water it takes to produce and bottle its premier wines.In the face of California’s ongoing drought, Clos du Bois - owned by Constellation Brands, a Connect the Drops signatory - has taken strong steps over the last few years to reduce the amount of water it takes to produce and bottle its premier wines.

Since its inception in 1974, the winery has prided itself on being “a champion of sustainability,” and throughout the years, Clos du Bois has undertaken many successful projects to ensure a healthy ecosystem in its vineyards, from planting native trees and shrubs to wetland restoration, to building healthy soils, to powering its winery with close to 100 percent solar energy.

Water sustainability is particularly important for Clos du Bois because Sonoma County’s hundreds of wineries draw from the Russian River system, a closed-loop system which also supports the region’s salmon fishery, and is increasingly under stress.

The winery is making good headway to take on California’s drought and ensure sufficient environmental flows remain in the region’s surface waters by minimizing groundwater withdrawls.

These efforts align well with Constellation Brands’ overall water strategy and priorities. Clos du Bois’ parent company has made water conservation a priority across its brands, achieving water intensity averages for its wine that beat the industry average. When accounting for water used during the wine making process, Constellation Brands uses 11 percent less water per liter of wine produced than the average of its competitors.

An important step that Clos du Bois took on its water efficiency journey was to evaluate water usage throughout the facility. Through this evaluation it determined that one of the biggest uses of water was the bottling system, which required a continuous flow of water to cool the pump system. Clos du Bois decided to replace two of the bottling vacuum pumps with closed loop water systems, saving more than 410,000 gallons of water per year.

Clos du Bois also designed and installed water-saving glycol heating skids for some of its larger fermentation tanks. This allows the winery to replace the water normally used to maintain the fermentation temperature with a reservoir of warm glycol. The project has resulted in an estimated savings of 300,000 gallons of water annually.

Additional facility projects have saved close to 75,000 gallons of water per year already, and the winery is continuing to implement new water conservation technologies. For instance, Clos du Bois is currently installing a new barrel processing line that will reuse the final rinse water as the primary rinse in a three-stage barrel cleaning process. The new line will reduce water consumption by 33 percent, and with an inventory of 30,000 barrels, water savings will be significant. Clos du Bois is also focusing on water use outside of the facility and is saving over 1,000,000 gallons of water annually through modifications to its irrigation schedule.

Clos du Bois achieves further water savings by treating all of its winery process waste water and reusing it in the estate vineyards for either irrigation or frost protection. Using treated process waste water in its vineyard has helped reduce the amount of ground water pumped for the vineyard by over 13 million gallons per year.

Minimizing ground water withdrawals helps to ensure long-term sustainability of ground water resources for the community and minimizes disruptions to surface waters that are hydrologically connected to the basins.

Through all of these initiatives, Clos du Bois has achieved an overall water reduction of 36 percent since 2013, surpassing the company’s internal facility reduction goal of 20 percent. And it continues to achieve reductions today. For its efforts, Clos du Bois earned the 2015 Internal Sustainability Award, which is awarded by the parent company, Constellation Brands, to one facility worldwide.

]]>No publisherBrian Santconnect the drops2016-11-23T00:55:00ZBlog ClipMarrakech climate talks show there is no turning back on clean energy transitionhttp://www.ceres.org/press/blog-posts/marrakech-climate-talks-show-there-is-no-turning-back-on-clean-energy-transition
As the tremendous economic and social costs of climate change continue to mount, and as the window of opportunity for stabilizing the climate shrinks fast, talks among country delegations, cities, states, companies, investors, labor leaders and civil society took on a renewed sense of urgency in accelerating forward.
As the dust settled on the arid grounds at the closing of COP22 in Marrakech – with the ripple effects of the monumental U.S. election hovering in the air – a sense of determination and resolve persisted. Nearly one year after the world came together to forge the groundbreaking Paris Climate Agreement and only weeks after the accord officially entered into force in record time, the conversation has shifted to concrete action.

The just-concluded climate talks here reflected a shared understanding of the need to supercharge the already irreversible global clean energy transition. And no one was waiting around for the U.S. to decide its next move. Even as some fretted that political developments in the U.S. might chill early-stage implementation of the Paris Agreement, the opposite occurred.

As the tremendous economic and social costs of climate change continue to mount, and as the window of opportunity for stabilizing the climate shrinks fast, talks among country delegations, cities, states, companies, investors, labor leaders and civil society took on a renewed sense of urgency in accelerating forward.

Underscoring that climate action makes good economic sense, more than 360 U.S. businesses and investors – from small enterprises to more than a dozen Fortune 500 firms, including household names such as DuPont, Mars, Kellogg’s, General Mills and Levi Strauss – came forward to express strong support for staying the course on the Paris accord and continuing to advance complementary clean energy policies and investments. This call was heard resoundingly throughout the tented corridors of the Marrakech climate negotiations. It was not lost on the negotiators that these businesses are backing up their words with concrete action, stepping up corporate investments in clean energy and lowering the carbon impacts of their operations and supply chains. Many of the companies, in fact, have committed to source 100 percent of their electricity needs from renewable power.

Leading investors from around the world, including New York State’s $185 billion public pension fund and Citigroup, outlined what they are doing to step up efforts to manage carbon risk exposure in their investments while also seizing burgeoning low carbon investment opportunities. Citigroup’s Michael Eckhart described impressive progress towards its 10-year commitment to finance $100 billion of low-carbon and other sustainable business activity. The bank provided $48 billion of sustainable financing last year alone, double from $24 billion in 2014.

Pete Grannis, a top official at the New York State Comptroller’s Office, discussed their $2 billion low-carbon index fund that was launched last year. He said the 2016 election results will not affect their fund’s interest in capturing low-carbon opportunities: “The die has been cast, there is no turning back.”

Further demonstrating that the transition to a clean energy economy is irreversible, nearly 200 nations together issued Marrakech Action Proclamation calling for the stepped-up ambition that is needed to limit temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius and avert the worst impacts of climate change. At the same time, some 47 members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum – including low-lying island nations facing some of the most immediate existential threats from rising seas – inspired the world by collectively agreeing to aim for 100 percent renewable energy within the next couple decades.

So, now that the dust has settled in Marrakech and COP22 has come to a close, what’s next? Beyond the well-understood need to focus on increasing the speed and scale of clean energy transition, one strikingly pervasive thread from the global climate negotiations was the focus on the need for a truly inclusive approach to clean energy transition. As this year’s climate talks revealed, there is a burgeoning global commitment to ensure that the transition from carbon-intensive energy to clean, low-carbon energy is just and fair, and leaves no one behind.

Sue Reid is vice president of the climate and energy programs at the nonprofit sustainability group Ceres

]]>No publisherSue Reid2016-11-22T17:22:06ZBlog ClipInvestors update guidance to strengthen engagement on climate risk with oil and gas companieshttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/investors-update-guidance-to-strengthen-engagement-on-climate-risk-with-oil-and-gas-companies
In a move designed to ensure oil and gas majors do far more to address the climate change challenge, global investors from Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia have today published an updated second edition of their guide setting out the challenges facing the sector and investor expectations for how oil and gas companies must act to adapt their business strategies to a 2°C climate change pathway. In a move designed to ensure oil and gas majors do far more to address the climate change challenge, global investors from Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia have today published an updated second edition of their guide setting out the challenges facing the sector and investor expectations for how oil and gas companies must act to adapt their business strategies to a 2°C climate change pathway.

LaunchingInvestor Expectations for Oil and Gas Companies: Transition to a Lower Carbon FutureStephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (Europe) said, “Today the global investor community is setting out as clearly as possible their expectations for oil and gas companies on actions required to address climate change risks. Our decision to update this guide directly reflects the requirements of the Paris Agreement. Going forward, asset owners and fund managers will need to know how oil and gas companies - and particularly the boards accountable for overseeing them - see the future impact of climate change on their activities and how they plan to align their business model with the greenhouse gas reductions required to deliver binding international agreements.”

Stephanie Maier, lead author of the revised guide and Head of Responsible Investment Strategy & Research for Aviva Investors added, “The oil and gas sector represents trillions of dollars in market capitalisation. Long-term investors therefore want to ensure that oil and gas companies have appropriate governance and capital discipline to respond to the changing market dynamics that are arising from the policies and actions put in place to limit global warming. Given the transition and physical risks these companies face from climate change, we believe that they have a duty to disclose how they are responding to these changes. We have seen some strategic announcements from oil and gas companies for more resilient low carbon business strategies. However, it is vital for everyone's long term prosperity that they do more in this respect and do not undermine robust policy action that drives a well-managed transition to a low carbon economy."

Andrew Logan, Director of the Oil & Gas Program at Ceres and the Investor Network on Climate Risk (North America) said, “No matter the outcome of the US election, global policy momentum and rapid technological change are combining to create significant risks for the oil and gas sector. Investors are increasingly concerned that the current business strategies of many companies may not be financially sustainable given these ongoing trends. During the current proxy season investors are showing unequivocally through shareholder resolutions to companies including Exxon and Chevron that they expect the oil and gas sector to address carbon asset risk by assessing the impact of a 2°C scenario on their future resilience.”

Emma Herd, CEO of the Investor Group on Climate Change (Australia) and speaking also for the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, said: “Some of the largest oil and gas companies by revenue are based in Asia, in the fastest growing economies in the world. These companies are highly exposed to carbon constraints and will face mounting pressure as investors seek to determine whether they are doing enough to change their capital allocations to curb emissions and align their business strategies to a 2°C global warming scenario. The Marrakech Communique adopted at COP22 also explicitly recognised the oil and gas sector as the largest source of methane globally – a potent greenhouse gas – so if we are to stand a chance of meeting the Paris goals these companies will also be expected to demonstrate they are taking steps to curb these emissions from oil and gas extraction, transportation and processing activities”.

About the guide

Investor Expectations for Oil and Gas Companies: Transition to a Lower CarbonFuture updates a previous guide (Investor Expectations – Oil and Gas Company Strategy) that was first published in December 2014 and has formed the basis of effective investor engagement over the past two years with the boards and management of oil and gas companies. The revised guide is intended to support further constructive engagement with the sector following the Paris Climate Agreement. It is focused in particular on how companies in this sector are governing and managing the transition risks and opportunities associated with a climate trajectory of no more than 2°C of global warming and are developing the business strategy required to adapt through the transition to a sustainable low carbon energy system. The guide groups investor expectations in five areas of concern:

Governance– are board and management processes well enough defined to ensure adequate oversight of climate-related risk and effective planning for a transition consistent with 2°C and efforts to pursue 1.5°C?

Strategy - is the management of climate-related risks and opportunities integrated into business strategy well enough to ensure business models will be robust, responsive and resilient in the face of a range of energy transition scenarios.

Implementation– is scenario analysis and ‘stress testing’ well enough embedded into key business planning processes and investment decisions?

Transparency & disclosure – does the company disclose its operational emissions in the annual report and/or on the corporate website. How good is the company’s view of, and response to, the material climate related risks and opportunities outlined in the guide?

Public policy – does the company engage with public policy makers and other stakeholders to support development of cost-effective policy measures to mitigate climate-related risks and low carbon investments? Is there broad oversight and transparency regards the company’s public position, lobbying activity and political spending on climate-related regulatory issues (including carbon/methane emissions, energy and transport)?

Investors groups in the GIC also collaborate to drive climate action in key policy forums, including the G7 & the G20. In August this year investors wrote to the G20 heads of state calling on G20 nations to double global investment in clean energy by 2020, tighten climate disclosure mandates, develop carbon pricing and phase out fossil fuel subsidies. Shortly before COP22 in Marrakech, the GIC published a fact sheet highlighting examples of actions institutional investors around the world have taken during 2016 and since the Paris Agreement was finalised. The Marrakech Communique was adopted at COP 22 in Morocco on November 14, 2016

About the Networks:

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change is a forum for collaboration on climate change for investors. IIGCC has 130 members, including some of the largest pension funds and asset managers in Europe, who represent over €14 trillion in assets. IIGCC’s mission is to provide investors a common voice to encourage public policies, investment practices and corporate behaviour which address long-term risks and opportunities associated with climate change. See www.iigcc.org and @iigccnews

Ceres Investor Network on Climate Risk, a group of over 120 institutional investors managing over $14 trillion assets focused on the business risks and opportunities of climate change. INCR is a project of Ceres, a non-profit organisation mobilising many of the world’s largest investors and companies to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and other global sustainability challenges. Ceres also engages with 100-plus companies, many of them fortune 500 firms, committed to sustainable business practices and the urgency for strong climate and clean energy policies. For more information, visit @incrnews and www.ceres.org

The Investor Group on Climate Change is a collaboration of Australian and New Zealand institutional investors and advisors, managing over $1 trillion in assets under management and focusing on the impact that climate change has on the financial value of investments. IGCC aims to encourage government policies and investment practices that address the risks and opportunities of climate change. For further information, visit www.igcc.org.au and @igcc_update

The Asia Investor Group on Climate Change is an initiative to create awareness among Asia’s asset owners and financial institutions about the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and low carbon investing. AIGCC provides capacity for investors to share best practice and to collaborate on investment activity, credit analysis, risk management, engagement and policy. AIGCC represents the Asian perspective in the evolving global discussions on climate change and the transition to a greener economy. See www.aigcc.net and @aigcc_update

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-22T15:29:45ZPress ReleaseLeading Investors Press Meat Producers to Tackle Water Pollution Riskshttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/leading-investors-press-meat-producers-to-tackle-water-pollution-risks
As Thanksgiving nears, 45 leading institutional investors collectively managing over $1 trillion in assets are pressing some of the nation’s largest producers of turkey and other meats to address the significant water pollution risks associated with feeding, slaughtering and processing livestock.As Thanksgiving nears, 45 leading institutional investors collectively managing over $1 trillion in assets are pressing some of the nation’s largest producers of turkey and other meats to address the significant water pollution risks associated with feeding, slaughtering and processing livestock.

The investors sent joint letters to four of the largest producers in the meat industry, Cargill, Inc., JBS, Perdue Farms, and Smithfield Foods. The letters come one month after Hurricane Matthew inundated poultry and hog farms in North Carolina, flooding manure lagoons and killing more than two million chickens, turkeys and hogs.

“As investors analyzing water risks in our portfolios, we believe that robust management of water quality challenges is a critical aspect of risk management in the meat industry, and one of increasing importance in the context of climate change and growing weather extremes,” the investors wrote.

Investors who signed onto the letters are members of the nonprofit sustainability organization Ceres and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

“Broad mismanagement of local water resources can lead to devastating regulatory, reputational, and litigation risks, weakening a company’s ability to operate profitably,” said Kristel Verhoef, Active Ownership Specialist at ACTIAM, which has 56 Billion Euro in AUM.

The effort comes on the heels of several shareholder proposals filed with other meat sector players, including Tyson Foods, Hormel Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride and Sanderson Farms, that call for improved water management.

“Comprehensive water stewardship policies are critical to avoid the risks present at several points in the supply chain of meat producers like Hormel,” said Sister Patricia Daly of the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment. “We are encouraged by the company’s commitment following the withdrawal of our shareholder proposal, to put a water stewardship policy in place that will apply to major suppliers, contract animal growers and feed suppliers.”

Last year, Ceres released a report that ranksmajor food companies on water risk management. Several meat companies including Tyson and JBS were identified among the worst performers. A recent report from Environment America ranked Tyson as the biggest water polluter in the meat sector, releasing 104 million pounds of toxic pollutants into waterways from 2010 to 2014 from its slaughtering and processing plants, and buying livestock that generates approximately 55 million tons of manure per year. During the same time period, it is estimated that collectively Smithfield (27.3 million lbs.), Cargill (50.4 million lbs.), JBS (37.6 million lbs.) and Perdue (31 million lbs.) directly released 146.3 million pounds of toxic pollutants into U.S. waterways.

Fines for violations of wastewater permits have proven costly to the industry. For example, in 2010 JBS paid $2 million over the failure of a facility to comply with the Clean Water Act and the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. JBS was also required to improve operations by reconstructing wastewater systems at an estimated cost of $6 million.

Some companies in the industry have begun responding to these concerns. Last month, meat processor Hormel Foods, along with several other companies joined the Ceres-World Wildlife Fund AgWater Challenge, an initiative to advance water stewardship in the food sector. Hormel committed to developing a comprehensive water stewardship policy, setting water management expectations that go beyond regulatory compliance for its major suppliers, contract animal growers and feed suppliers – a meat industry first.

“With climate change, business-as-usual management of the more than 300 million tons of manure produced annually by the U.S. livestock industry is no longer feasible. Hurricane Mathew’s effects underscore the vulnerability of meat companies – and their shareholders – to growing risks stemming from large-scale water pollution events, said Brooke Barton, Senior Program Director of Water and Food Program at Ceres.

“These letters highlight the need for these companies to address the reputational, legal and regulatory risks of being a large polluter,” said Nadira Narine, ICCR Senior Program Director and co-coordinator with Ceres of the initiative. “All companies need to minimize effluent discharge beyond compliance levels, and set related goals and targets.”

Investors signing the letter asked the meat companies to assess the pollution impacts of their direct operations as well as their supply chains, and develop a comprehensive water stewardship policy with related goals that address the following:

Noncompliance and minimizing permitted releases to waterways

Safe storage and management of animal waste

Minimizing fertilizer runoff from animal feed production

“The Human Right to Water and Sanitation, recognized in 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly, underscores the importance of a corporate role in ensuring that water impact risks are managed – including the improvement of waste storage and disposal controls to safeguard local waterways,” said Marcela Pinilla, Senior Analyst at CBIS. “In our upcoming engagements with JBS SA and Smithfield/WH Group, we will seek to encourage the inclusion of community impact risks as an element of a comprehensive water stewardship plan.”

About Ceres

Ceres is a non-profit organization that is mobilizing many of the world’s largest companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and other global sustainability challenges. Ceres directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a group of 120 institutional investors managing $15 trillion in assets focused on the business risks and opportunities of climate change and water scarcity. Ceres also engages with 100-plus companies, many of them Fortune 500 businesses, committed to sustainable business practices and the urgency for strong climate and clean energy policies. For more information, visit www.ceres.org or follow on Twitter @CeresNews.

About the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) Celebrating its 45th year, ICCR is the pioneer coalition of shareholder advocates who view the management of their investments as a catalyst for social change. Its 300 member organizations comprise faith communities, socially responsible asset managers, unions, pensions, NGOs and other socially responsible investors with combined assets of over $200 billion. ICCR members engage hundreds of corporations annually in an effort to foster greater corporate accountability on questions such as climate change, corporate water stewardship, sustainable food production, human trafficking and slavery in global supply chains and increased access to financial and health care services for communities in need. www.iccr.org

]]>No publisherBrian SantExclude from Homepage2016-11-21T14:15:00ZPress ReleaseGlobal Food and Beverage Executives Call for Action on Climate and Food Security at COP22 http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/global-food-and-beverage-executives-call-for-action-on-climate-and-food-security-at-cop22
As world leaders met at COP22 in Marrakesh today, officials from Ben & Jerry’s, Clif Bar, Danone, Fetzer Vineyards, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Mars Incorporated, New Belgium Brewing Company, Stonyfield, and Unilever released a statement reiterating their strong support for the Paris Climate Agreement and highlighting the critical role agriculture will play in addressing climate change.

The companies were brought together by Ceres BICEP coalition, an advocacy network of companies working with policymakers to pass effective energy and climate legislation.

In today’s statement, the companies declared, “The clock is ticking and it is time to make real and lasting changes to how we do business. As some of the world’s largest food companies, we have the scale to make a difference. We will do our part and we ask that governments and civil society continue to work with us in achieving both food and climate security.”

Last year, these same companies released a letter calling on world leaders to address climate change at COP21, and pledged to boost their companies’ sustainability efforts, to advocate achievable, enforceable science-based carbon reduction targets, and to share their best practices to encourage other companies to join their effort. Each of the companies signing today’s statement also joined a recent letter which urged US elected leaders to allow the United States to continue its commitment to the Paris Agreement.

In this statement, the companies explicitly targeted agricultural issues, noting that “Unchecked, agricultural emissions will outstrip reductions from decarbonizing the economy elsewhere, pushing us beyond the 2-degree Celsius limit. Agriculture-related emissions could take up the entire global greenhouse gas emissions budget by 2050[1].”

“COP22 has rightfully given agriculture and food security center stage. Now is the time for business, policy makers and civil society to accelerate efforts to reduce the climate impact of agriculture, improve livelihoods and resilience of smallholder farmers, cut in half food loss and waste, and promote better nutrition” added Paul Polman , Chief Executive Officer, Unilever.

“This is an important moment in global political and economic history, and we absolutely must come together to solve the immense challenges facing the planet,” said Barry Parkin, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars Incorporated. “Climate change, water scarcity and deforestation are serious threats to society. It is imperative that global businesses, like Mars, do their part to face down those threats.”

“Danone is a global actor in the food system,” said Emmanuel Faber, Chief Executive Officer, Danone. “Our 100,000 employees interact daily with millions of consumers, and 700,000 people along our supply chain. A major part of Danone’s environmental footprint is from agriculture. Tackling this and other social and environmental challenges in today's global food system requires deep transformation of the food and water cycles. It's part of our responsibility, and a reason why Danone has committed to becoming a zero-net carbon company by 2050. We are now working intensively and collaboratively to reduce our footprint, but also to innovate and invest in carbon-positive solutions and encourage our consumers to adopt a healthy, sustainable diet.”

“The climate commitments made in Paris last year must now be implemented with urgency. Leadership through action is how we make transformative change across our food system. Kellogg Company has helped to improve the livelihoods of 15,000 smallholder farmers, meeting our commitment four years ahead of schedule. And we’ve committed to reduce emissions from our operations by 65 percent and to work with our direct suppliers to help reduce their emissions by 50 percent by 2050. As a global business, we are leading through action to address climate change,” said Diane Holdorf, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg Company.

“General Mills has long been committed to being part of the solution on climate change. We affirm our commitment and encourage world leaders to continue driving global collaboration on this important agreement said Jerry Lynch, Chief Sustainability Officer of General Mills.

“We urge our leaders to act on the climate commitments of the Paris agreement. At Clif Bar, we’ve learned, by experience, that it’s good business to run a green business. We’re working to create a company and supply chain that run on renewable energy, field to final product, creating jobs and growing and making healthy organic food in the process. We ask that government leaders join us and many other leading businesses in the food industry working to address climate change. There’s no time to waste.” Elysa Hammond, Director of Environmental Stewardship, Clif Bar & Company.

Ben & Jerry’s Chief Executive Officer, Jostein Solheim said “As food companies, we have an opportunity and frankly a responsibility to invest in our supply chains to transition our food and agriculture system from being a substantial driver of climate change to becoming a sustainable part of the solution.”

"We are pleased to see regenerative agriculture held up as an important climate solution at COP22,” said Josh Prigge, Director of Regenerative Development, Fetzer Vineyards. “As a leader of regenerative agriculture in the wine industry with some thirty years of sustainable and organic winegrape growing experience, Fetzer Vineyards is well aware of the climate benefits and drought resiliency associated with regenerative agriculture practices, and will do what we can to help communicate this around the world.”

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-17T16:25:00ZPress ReleaseHow Big Food Companies Are Committing to Sustainable Waterhttp://www.ceres.org/press/blog-posts/how-big-food-companies-are-committing-to-sustainable-water
The AgWater Challenge, a project of Ceres and the World Wildlife Fund, is helping food companies become leaders on water sustainability, writes Ceres’ Kirsten James.

AS ARTICLES FLOOD my inbox assessing the environmental implications of the stunning election of Donald Trump last week, it is clear that California’s resolve to tackle water and climate issues must continue full steam ahead. Clearly the election doesn’t change California’s severe drought, and nor will it change the proactive steps that many companies are taking to adapt to the new normal of ever-scarce water resources.

Big food companies that source from California’s fertile Central Valley remain committed to sustainable sourcing. As Jerry Lynch, chief sustainability officer at General Mills, put it recently, “The challenges facing our company and our planet are more pressing than ever, so we have to build resiliency in our supply chains to ensure that we can continue to serve the world by making food people love.”

Last year, General Mills pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain by close to 30 percent over the next decade. And last month, the food giant joined with six major brands in making significant commitments to work with their growers to help them improve their water stewardship through a new collaborative initiative, the AgWater Challenge. Spearheaded by Ceres and the World Wildlife Fund, the AgWater Challenge is designed to spur food company leadership on water sustainability.

That kind of leadership is critical as California’s drought catches up with the farmers that supply these big brands. Recent USDA data showed that cash receipts dropped a startling $9.5 billion in 2015 – or roughly 17 percent from farm earnings in 2014. Compare that to the previous year when crop revenues declined a mere $480 million, or 1.4 percent from 2013 levels. While multiple factors contributed to this steep decline in earnings, tighter water supplies played a role.

So what did these seven brands do to be recognized as AgWater Stewards?

Companies participating in the Ceres-WWF AgWater Challenge submitted detailed sustainable sourcing and water stewardship plans adhering to criteria set by the two organizations. The participants that met minimum criteria, including setting a time-bound goal for completing a water risk assessment across their supply chains, were recognized as AgWater Stewards.

Yet their work is not done. Being truly sustainable is hard. The issues are complicated and often overwhelming, and it takes time for a big food company that sources from growers all over the world to achieve real impact. For this reason, WWF and Ceres consider the companies’ water stewardship plans to be a work in progress – and the two organizations will issue a progress report on the companies’ pledges one year from now.

The issues are complicated and often overwhelming, and it takes time for a big food company that sources from growers all over the world to achieve real impact.

Let’s take a look at some of their pledges, and what they mean for California.

First there’s WhiteWave Foods, the producer of Horizon Organic milk, Silk plant-based beverages and other brands, which was recently acquired by the French food company Danone. WhiteWave sources dairy products and almonds from California’s San Joaquin region and further north and is working on water projects in the Sacramento and Feather River basin.

As part of the AgWater Challenge, WhiteWave committed to develop a robust, time-bound roadmap for agricultural water stewardship by 2018, addressing challenges of dairy, soy and almond production in areas of greatest water risk, including California’s Central Valley.

The company is already collaborating with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Sustainable Conservation on groundwater recharge projects, and has committed to further supporting and scaling such projects that restore freshwater systems for almond and field greens farmers in its supply chain in California.

And I’m especially excited that White Wave joined Ceres’ Connect the Drops Initiative and will be joining with dozens of other companies to advocate for sensible water policies in the state.

Then there’s the Kellogg Company, which on a global level is committed to responsibly sourcing its 10 priority ingredients, including rice, wheat, corn and fruits like sultana grapes and strawberries using water and fertilizer use as key indicators for sustainable production. It’s following metrics developed by Field to Market to do this. Kellogg is also supporting 17,000 suppliers, millers and farmers in water-stressed regions by providing financial aid and agronomic assistance. In California, it’s focusing its work with growers in the Fresno region, one of California’s more water-strapped counties.

And General Mills is developing water stewardship plans by 2025 for the company’s most material and at-risk watersheds in its global value chain.It’s currently partnering with local stakeholders on sustainable sourcing in several high-water-risk regions, including the Los Angeles and San Joaquin watersheds, through both collective action and policy advocacy – including the California Water Action Collaborative and Ceres’ Connect the Drops campaign. General Mills is also participating in the development of Groundwater Management plans at the basin level in California.

These brands participating in the AgWater Challenge are some of the biggest commodities buyers in the world. With agriculture using 70 percent of the world’s freshwater resources, and 80 percent of developed water resources in California, they have a business responsibility to preserve the resources that sustain those systems. And they are owning up to that responsibility as they acknowledge their bottom-line risks. We hope that more will join Ceres-WWF AgWater Challenge. The resiliency of their supply chains is in jeopardy now more than ever as climate deniers take up residence in the White House.

]]>No publisherKirsten James2016-11-16T22:33:18ZBlog Clip365 Businesses and Investors Call On U.S. Leaders to Support Paris Climate Agreement http://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/businesses-and-investors-call-on-u.s.-leaders-to-support-paris-climate-agreement
More than 365 businesses and investors, from more than a dozen Fortune 500 firms to small, family-owned businesses across more than 35 states, sent a strong message today to President Barack Obama, President-elect Donald Trump, and other elected U.S. and global leaders, reaffirming their support for the historic Paris Climate Agreement and the need to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy at home and around the world.

“Implementing the Paris Climate Agreement will enable and encourage businesses and investors to turn the billions of dollars in existing low-carbon investments into the trillions of dollars the world needs to bring clean energy prosperity to all,” wrote the powerful business group, in a statement of support announced today at a press conference at the COP22 climate negotiations in Marrakech, Morocco. “Failure to build a low-carbon economy puts American prosperity at risk.”

"It is vital that the business community demonstrates its ongoing commitment to tackling climate change,” said Barry Parkin, Chief Sustainability and Health and Wellbeing Officer at Mars Incorporated. "This is an important moment in global political and economic history, and we absolutely must come together to solve the immense challenges facing the planet. Climate change, water scarcity and deforestation are serious threats to society. It is imperative that global businesses, like Mars, do their part to face down those threats."

“Now more than ever, Levi Strauss & Co. believes it is important to reaffirm our commitment to address climate change by supporting the Paris Climate Agreement,” said Michael Kobori, vice president of sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co. “Building an energy-efficient economy in the U.S., powered by low-carbon energy will ensure our nation’s competitiveness and position US companies as leaders in the global market - all while doing the right thing for our planet.”

The U.S., China, India, Brazil, European Union and more than 100 other nations representing more than three-fourths of global emissions formally ratified or joined the agreement, and it entered into legal force on Nov. 4. The agreement is the first-ever global, legally binding framework to tackle climate change.

In the statement, the large and small businesses pledged to do their part, in their own operations and beyond, to realize the Paris Climate Agreement’s commitment of a global economy that limits global temperature rise to well below two-degrees Celsius.

They are calling on elected U.S. leaders to strongly support:

Continuation of low-carbon policies in order to allow the U.S. to meet or exceed its promised national commitments.

Investment in the low-carbon economy at home and abroad in order to give financial decision-makers clarity and boost investor confidence.

Continued U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement in order to provide the long-term direction needed to limit global warming.

“The Paris Agreement was a vital step forward, but its power is in our collective action,” said Lara Birkes, chief sustainability officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. “Business and government leaders must urgently work together to drive a thriving, low-carbon economy.”

"Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is committed to creating a low-carbon economy and creating healthy environments for our associates, members and communities,” said Kyle Cahill, Director of Sustainability and Environmental Health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. “We strongly support continued U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement to help address climate change, one of our biggest public health threats today.”

"The enormous momentum generated by the business and investment community to address climate change cannot be reversed and cannot be ignored by the Trump administration. That train has left the station and to stand in its way is folly," said Matt Patsky, CEO of Trillium Asset Management. "Nevertheless, we know that now is the time to remind the incoming administration that virtually every company in the Fortune 500 and over $100 trillion in investor assets has acknowledged the reality of climate change and the need to address in head on."

“Elections change our leadership but they don’t change reality,” said Matthew Hamilton, Sustainability Director at Aspen Skiing Company. “Thirty more frost free days are thirty fewer days we can make snow increasing the pressure on our business. The Paris agreement is critical to our business and the 6.1 million employees of the outdoor recreation industry.”

“Delivering on the Paris Agreement is an opportunity and responsibility for all,” said Feike Sijbesma, CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board, Royal DSM. “Now is the time to future proof our economies by investing in, among other, low-carbon infrastructure. Together we can create new jobs and build our infrastructure while securing clean air and sustainable energy. This is key for people today and generations to come."

“Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management, LLC reaffirms our support of the Paris Climate Agreement to ensure we are doing our part to get to a low carbon future,” said Maria Arabatzis, Portfolio Manager and Shareholder Engagement Manager at Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management, LLC.

“Kentucky needs to grow its clean economy more than many other states,” Zaurie Zimmerman, CEO of The Lion Company in Louisville, Kentucky. “Affirming the U.S. commitment to the Paris Agreement is a crucial strategy in keeping the U.S., and eventually Kentucky, truly competitive in the global economy.”

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-16T14:10:00ZPress ReleaseBusinesses Renew Their Call to Increase Clean Energy Standards in Michiganhttp://www.ceres.org/press/blog-posts/businesses-renew-their-call-to-increase-clean-energy-standards-in-michigan
Last week, while many were focused on the election, the Michigan Senate passed an energy package that has the potential to move clean energy forward in the state.

Last week, while many were focused on the election, the Michigan Senate passed an energy package that has the potential to move clean energy forward in the state. With only seven weeks left in the legislative session, there is an opportunity to further strengthen these bills before they head to the House.

10 major businesses with a significant presence in Michigan—Ben & Jerry’s, Brewery Vivant, Crystal Mountain, Eileen Fisher, General Mills, JLL, Nestlé, Rockford Brewing Company, Staples and Worthen Industries—are calling on state lawmakers to strengthen the state’s renewable energy and energy optimization standards, and ultimately help bring more investment and jobs to Michigan.

In the letter to lawmakers, businesses call for an increase in the state’s renewable energy standard by at least five percent and endorsed a bipartisan proposal for a 15 percent RPS by 2021.

They also urged lawmakers to retain language from the existing renewable energy standards, including requirements that ensure renewable energy is generated in Michigan and that independent power producers generate a portion of clean energy in the state. Indeed, without these changes, the proposed Senate bills will not drive economic development and new investment.

Investment in clean energy helps reduce costs for ratepayers and prevents utilities from needing to build new power plants. A Ceres report shows that strong renewable portfolio standards help utilities transition to renewable energy and reap energy efficiency savings. New analysis also found that in 2014 alone, energy efficiency generated over 3,100 new jobs and over $200 million in new income in the state. The proposed 15 percent renewable energy standard will spur additional economic growth throughout the state.

Michigan can do more to increase clean energy deployment. Businesses are calling on lawmakers to invest in the future.

]]>No publisherSarah Tyler2016-11-14T21:20:38ZBlog ClipCeres and the PRI Join Forces to Tackle Tropical Deforestationhttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/ceres-and-the-pri-join-forces-to-tackle-tropical-deforestation
Through a new, joint investor group, the two organizations will support global institutional investors pressing food and timber companies to eliminate deforestation and other related concerns, including forced labor and land rights disputes from their supply chains. Ceres and the PRI announced today a new partnership to tackle widespread, global deforestation driven by escalating production of beef, soy and timber, focusing initially on South America. Through a new, joint investor group, the two organizations will support global institutional investors pressing food and timber companies to eliminate deforestation and other related concerns, including forced labor and land rights disputes from their supply chains.

The announcement was made at an investor event at the United Nations climate negotiations in Morocco, formally called the Conference of the Parties, or COP22. Deforestation is a key topic at COP22, with an estimated 12 million hectares of forest being destroyed annually from human activity, or the equivalent to 36 U.S. football fields every minute. Cutting down forests releases carbon into the atmosphere, and an estimated 10 to 15 percent of global carbon emissions are produced annually from global deforestation, largely for agricultural and timber production.

“Beyond the enormous environmental impacts of biodiversity loss, climate change and eroded landscapes that are less climate-resilient, deforestation poses real financial risks to investors with agribusinesses in their portfolios,” said Dawn M. Martin, who spoke at the event and is the chief operating officer of Ceres, which coordinates the $15 trillion Investor Network on Climate Risk. “Working collaboratively will enable Ceres and PRI to achieve far greater impact at stemming deforestation than each of our organizations could achieve alone.”

Beef is the single largest driver of deforestation globally. Converting forests to pasture for beef cattle, primarily in Latin America, destroys 2.7 million hectares of tropical forests each year (an area the size of Massachusetts). While the Soybean Moratorium has dramatically reduced soy-driven deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, cultivation of the legume remains a leading cause of deforestation in other parts of the word, as rising global demand for meat and dairy have led to a doubling in soy production over the past 20 years. Land clearing for commodities production is often associated with forced labor and land rights violations.

“Robeco shares the concerns of many investors worldwide regarding the social and environmental risks of palm oil production and engages collectively within the PRI sustainable palm oil working group to mitigate these risks,” said Peter van der Werf, engagement specialist at Robeco, a Netherlands-based firm with EUR 276 billion of assets under management. “With this new Ceres-PRI collaboration we can expand the scope of the working group to other soft commodities at risk such as soy and beef. PRI and Ceres are important partners for research and collaboration that enhance the engagement efforts on behalf of Robeco’s clients.”

Agribusinesses that source from companies engaged in deforestation and related unlawful activities such as forced labor face potential risks such as impacts on brand equity from consumer campaigns, loss of contracts or market access, disruptions to operations from social disputes with local communities and workers over labor and land rights, legal sanctions, seizure of goods and reduced financing. These business risks can in turn impact investor portfolios.

“Investors have increasingly been making their voices heard regarding the material risks around climate change,” said Fiona Reynolds, managing director, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). “We saw this very strongly at COP21 last year. Deforestation and climate change are inextricably linked so investors need to keep using their financial muscle and engage with policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure these issues stay on top of the climate agenda.”

Among the activities planned by the new global investor group over the next two years:

Map and develop a set of indicators for evaluating beef, soy and timber companies’ sourcing policies and their impact on deforestation (e.g., traceability, sustainability goals and policies, transparency, adherence to certification schemes)

Benchmark 50 to 60 companies in the beef, soy, and timber industries against the indicators.

Based on benchmarking results, engage with low-scoring companies (including through shareholder resolutions) to press them to adopt sustainable sourcing policies.

Engage in public policy advocacy at the national and international levels.

“Climate risk is one of the greatest threats to our investments across the board, which is why we continue to use our strength as a major investor to call on companies in our portfolio to address climate change now,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, with $184.5 billion in AUM. “Palm oil harvesting results in large-scale deforestation and is a significant contributor to climate risk. We want the many food companies that use palm oil to ensure that what they use is sustainably harvested and free from deforestation.”

In response to DiNapoli’s request to its portfolio companies, Dunkin’ Donuts, ConAgra, Archer Daniels Midland and other companies have agreed to adopt policies ensuring sustainably-sourced palm oil. When Domino’s Pizza declined to adopt a deforestation policy, DiNapoli filed a shareholder proposal which received support from 26.2% of shareholders when it went to a vote.

A new report by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Living Planet Report 2016, recently outlined the enormous risks to biodiversity from deforestation and other unsustainable practices in our global food supply which have profound implications for the natural systems that sustain life and economic activity on the planet.

The support for this partnership is provided by Ceres as part of a conservation and financial markets collaboration among Ceres, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, World Wildlife Fund and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and is funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

About Ceres

Ceres is a non-profit organization that is mobilizing many of the world’s largest companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and other global sustainability challenges. Ceres directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a group of 120 institutional investors managing about $15 trillion assets focused on the business risks and opportunities of climate change and water scarcity. Ceres also engages with 100-plus companies, many of them Fortune 500 businesses, committed to sustainable business practices and the urgency for strong climate and clean energy policies. For more information, visit www.ceres.org or follow on Twitter @CeresNews.

About PRI

The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative is an international network of investors working together to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. Its goal is to understand the implications of sustainability for investors and support signatories to incorporate these issues into their investment decision making and ownership practices. In implementing the Principles, signatories contribute to the development of a more sustainable global financial system.

]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-11T06:25:00ZPress ReleaseIt's All About Building A Clean Energy Economyhttp://www.ceres.org/press/blog-posts/its-all-about-building-a-clean-energy-economy
While this week’s U.S. election is creating legitimate distress, we should refrain from thinking it will completely thwart climate action and the clean energy economy in the U.S. and around the world.Last week, while U.S. voters were casting their ballots, Walmartannounced plans to double its renewable energy goals – to 50 percent, by 2025 – and to buy half of its electricity from a Texas wind farm. On Wednesday, one day after the election, General Mills, Staples and a half-dozen other companies sent a letter to Michiganlawmakers urging them to boost the state’s renewable portfolio standard, which has already attracted $3 billion in clean energy investment in the state.

These examples are important reminders that, no matter who the president is, business leaders are committed to a clean energy future. While this week’s U.S. election is creating legitimate distress, we should refrain from thinking it will completely thwart climate action and the clean energy economy in the U.S. and around the world.

But we should also learn from the election. The voting results are a clear signal that we must do a better job communicating with the American public and others around the world about complex issues like climate change. We need to find more common ground and inclusiveness in tackling this global threat and its far-reaching job and technology-related implications.

With the economy at stake and the facts on our side, I remain optimistic.

As it relates to building a clean energy economy – there is no confusion. It is now cheaper to cut carbon emissions and use renewable energy than it is to continue to rely on fossil fuels. It is true in Minnesota and Colorado, where wind power is out-competing fossil fuel power plants. It is also true in Morocco and Kenya, where solar and wind power is far cheaper than importing oil.

What is especially important now is that leading investors, businesses and world leaders continue seizing on these enormous opportunities by following the visionary path forged by COP21.

The drive to decarbonize the U.S. energy economy will continue regardless of the actions that our next president takes – or doesn’t take – because of the rapidly expanding deployment of clean energy solutions by states, cities, and businesses across the country.

While there are divisions between Democrats and Republicans on climate policy, there has been bipartisan support for investments in clean energy as well as in climate resilience. Working with investors and companies in our networks, we will be moving swiftly to make the case for such investments to the new administration and Congress, including support for new infrastructure initiatives that President-elect Donald Trump has already pledged to put forward.

We will also work with our bipartisan allies in Washington to protect key measures, such as the Clean Power Plan and vehicle fuel economy standards, which are up for review early next year.

The business case for climate action will always hold and climate science will remain incontrovertible — regardless of who is in the White House. Short-term political and economic changes can detract from our momentum, but the low carbon transition is irreversible, irresistible and inevitable.

There is no turning back.

]]>No publisherMindy S. Lubber JD, MBA2016-11-10T21:10:00ZBlog ClipNRG Energy Joins Ceres Company Networkhttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/nrg-energy-joins-ceres-company-network
Ceres membership will bring to NRG a vast network of resources as the company continues to improve its social and environmental disclosure and performance and engages with investors and environmental and civil society groups.

The nonprofit sustainability organization Ceres announced today that NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) has joined the Ceres Company Network. The Ceres board of directors approved the diversified independent power producer’s membership late last month.

In joining the Ceres Company Network, NRG reaffirms its commitment to creating a comprehensively sustainable business while creating value for all of its stakeholders. Ceres membership will bring to NRG a vast network of resources as the company continues to improve its social and environmental disclosure and performance and engages with investors and environmental and civil society groups.

The Ceres Company Network includes more than 50 members from across the corporate landscape, including companies in the financial services, food and beverage, footwear and apparel, and electric power sectors, among others. In order to be eligible for membership, companies must demonstrate an executive-level commitment to sustainability and a desire to further integrate sustainability into their business strategies.

“We're thrilled that our Science Based Targets and vision for a sustainable energy future have been acknowledged by Ceres,” stated Bruno Sarda, Vice President of Sustainability, NRG. “As the power sector leads the transition to a low-carbon economy, we look forward to the insight and support that the Ceres Company Network can bring to us and what we can bring to it.”

In 2014, NRG committed to a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030and a 90 percent reduction by 2050, from a 2014 baseline. In doing so, NRG became one of the first 10 companies globally and the only U.S. company in the power sector to meet the recognized standard for science-based greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. In his first year as NRG’s CEO, Mauricio Gutierrez affirmed these goals, noting that addressing climate change is imperative for the industry. NRG is pursuing a number of strategies to achieve this goal, with specific attention to decarbonizing the company’s generation portfolio and continued growth in renewable energy investment within its electric power generation and retail services portfolio.

“By setting this goal, NRG has challenged itself in a way that its peers need to emulate," said Ceres President Mindy Lubber. “The road ahead for electric power will be a complex one, maintaining affordability, reliability and safety while also satisfying investors’ and customers’ growing expectations for a more flexible and cleaner grid. NRG recognizes that it needs to be responsive to those demands, and is to be commended for welcoming the challenging, yet solutions-oriented engagement that comes with Ceres membership.”

NRG joins Arizona Public Service, Consolidated Edison, Exelon, National Grid and Pacific Gas & Electric as Ceres Company Network members from the electric power sector.

NRG is the leading integrated power company in the U.S., built on the strength of the nation’s largest and most diverse competitive electric generation portfolio and leading retail electricity platform. A Fortune 200 company, NRG creates value through best in class operations, reliable and efficient electric generation, and a retail platform serving residential and commercial customers. Working with electricity customers, large and small, we continually innovate, embrace and implement sustainable solutions for producing and managing energy. We aim to be pioneers in developing smarter energy choices and delivering exceptional service as our retail electricity providers serve almost 3 million residential and commercial customers throughout the country. More information is available at www.nrg.com Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.

]]>No publisherBrian SantExclude from Homepage2016-11-10T15:30:00ZPress ReleaseStatement from Ceres President Mindy Lubber on the 2016 U.S. Electionhttp://www.ceres.org/press/press-releases/statement-from-ceres-president-mindy-lubber-on-the-2016-u.s.-election
The stunning U.S. election results are in, but we should refrain from thinking they will completely thwart climate action and the clean energy economy in the U.S. and around the world.

The stunning U.S. election results are in, but we should refrain from thinking they will completely thwart climate action and the clean energy economy in the U.S. and around the world.

Today’s reality is that the transition to the low-carbon economy is irreversible, inevitable and fully underway. There’s no turning back.

More investors and businesses than at any time in history are working to seize the opportunities embedded in this emerging economy.

The facts are on our side. Tackling climate change is one of the greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century.

The business case for climate action and sustainability is stronger than ever, and the climate science is incontrovertible.

The vast majority of Americans, including leading investors, businesses and consumers, want to protect their livelihoods and families from climate change, water threats and other sustainability challenges.

What is important now is that business continues leading the transition to a low-carbon economy.

We know that increasing clean energy investments stimulate economic growth, keep the U.S. competitive in the global economy, and create jobs faster than any other sector today.

Short-term political and economic changes will not slow our momentum.

We are committed to work with the new administration and our bipartisan allies in Washington. We want to make sure they fully understand what is at stake and to protect the gains that we have achieved in the face of climate change and other sustainability threats.

Investors and businesses are now, more than ever, the best messengers to deliver our message.

We will urge the new administration and Congress to swiftly act in order to protect future generations and build a more sustainable economy.]]>No publisherBrian Sant2016-11-09T23:14:35ZPress Release Major Companies Are The Engines of Climate Progresshttp://www.ceres.org/press/blog-posts/major-companies-engines-climate-progress
As we approach the next round of climate talks in Morocco, one question looms large; having reached a milestone agreement in Paris, and having surpassed the thresholds necessary for that agreement to enter into force, will the business community respond with decisive on-the-ground action to realize a low-carbon future?As world leaders prepare to gather for the COP22 climate talks in Morocco, Ceres experts are blogging on low-carbon investor and company actions since the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement and challenges that remain.

One year ago, dozens of companies announced significant climate and clean energy commitments in advance of the historic COP21 climate agreement forged in Paris last December. They were motivated by the desire to demonstrate to policymakers that they are ready for – and expect – government action to lower global carbon pollution.

As we approach the next round of climate talks in Morocco, one question looms large; having reached a milestone agreement in Paris, and having surpassed the thresholds necessary for that agreement to enter into force, will the business community respond with decisive on-the-ground action to realize a low-carbon future?

The answer is yes.

Governments will of course play an essential role, but it’s the private sector, the business community, that must lead the way – and they are. Not willing to wait for the gears of politics to turn faster, and eager to capitalize on the economic opportunities that the transition offers, many iconic companies are moving now – and moving fast.

I co-lead a program at Ceres that engages directly with a network of more than 50 companies, including two dozen listed on the Fortune 500 that are among those leaders. As advocates, we set a high bar when it comes to our expectations of companies in addressing climate risks and other critical sustainability challenges. Our 20 specific expectations are outlined in our recently revised Corporate Roadmap for Sustainability.

And increasingly the companies in our network are meeting or exceeding those expectations – in fact, more than 80 percent have set specific greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction goals. And many are setting goals consistent with the aggressive reduction targets that climate scientists say are needed to avoid catastrophic climate warming.

In the 11 months since the Paris Agreement was forged, we’ve seen impressive climate-related activity among our network companies that proves accelerated progress is not only possible, but also good for the bottom line.

Apple, Bank of America, General Motors and Wells Fargo have all joined the RE100 initiative committing to obtain 100 percent of the electricity they need for their operations from renewable sources like wind and solar. Apple took it a step further by announcing that three of its key suppliers have also made comparable commitments to renewable energy.

AMD, Bank of America and PepsiCo set or committed to set science-based GHG reduction goals, joining Best Buy, Coca-Cola, Dell and General Mills, which set science-based goals prior to Paris. While most Fortune 500 companies have, to their credit, set GHG goals, relatively few have taken the far bigger step of setting goals that the scientific community deem necessary to limit global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius or less.

Of course, GHG and renewable energy goals are not the only answers for tackling climate change. General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Pacific Gas & Electric have taken decisive steps to accelerate the growth of electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure. General Motors is about to begin selling the Chevrolet Bolt, an all-electric passenger car with a range of well over 200 miles and a price of about $30,000 after rebates and tax credits. Ford announced plans to invest $4.5 billion in vehicle electrification and add 13 electric vehicles to its product line between now and 2020. And PG&E is in the final stages of approval for a bold plan that would add 7,600 electric vehicle charging stations in its northern California service territory.

These examples are just the leading edge of what Ceres expects will be a continued emphasis on corporate investment in climate and clean energy solutions post-COP22.

But we’re far from reaching the scale and pace of global low-carbon investment that is needed – what Ceres calls the Clean Trillion. As we continue to engage with companies in the Ceres network and beyond, our agenda will include:

A continued emphasis on setting public goals, whether for greenhouse gas reductions, renewable energy sourcing or energy efficiency gains. Simply put, there’s nothing like a public commitment to drive corporate action and accountability.

Greater emphasis on reducing GHG emissions in company supply chains, which typically have a total carbon footprint three to four times larger than direct operational emissions.

Elevating corporate voices as part of legislative and regulatory efforts at the state and federal level aimed at reducing carbon pollution. More than ever, policymakers need to hear from businesses why strong climate and clean energy policies will benefit – not hinder – our economic future.

Nearly 200 national governments made a powerful statement in Paris and the corporate community is responding. The upcoming COP22 meetings in Morocco will no doubt affirm these trends and the urgency for even stronger action. We hope and expect more companies will follow suit.